So 10 days ago wife said, let's go find you a new old mic. I wanted a Shure 585 or maybe an Astatic 332. First pawn shop we hit I walked out with a Shure 585, which is a high z stick mic. It was priced pretty good but we talked them down about 25% as well. $32. They can go on fleabay for over $100, and I have a connector and cable that works on it as well. Nice! So I mentioned I had this mic, with on/off switch, and a fellow harper offered to send me the shell for the 585 model with a volume pot for next to nothing. So it came Saturday and all I have to do is solder the element in. Then I will have the James Cotton version stick mic with volume control! This mic is cleaner than the typical bullet but still has a lot of character to its sound. It can be made to distort and a lot of variety of sound is available by proximity to the harp and cupping technique.

So then last week wife points out a Silvertone 1482 being sold locally. I have one and use it a lot, it's a good small to medium room amp for harp and as it turns out, vocals as well. We also have one for Jolene that we actually paid a bit more for about 5 years ago, so this would be a deal. Mine was pretty beat cosmetically. So Saturday the guy had dropped the price some and we made contact. Since I'd brought home some gig $$ Friday night, we went ahead and got the amp. Then turned around and sold mine for most of the cost of the "new" one! This one is really sharp, it all works and there is hardly a mark on it.

Happy Birthday! Life is real good, eh? I re-discovered my vintage Shure 515 stick mic a few years back-- for harp and vocals, and it's all I've been using now. The bullets are relegated to the bench, although I keep one in my harp case.

I am prone to have a spare mic with me when I gig. So that means a bullet.

I forgot to mention, the guy who gave me the 585 with volume pot also sent 2 585's with on/off switch, sand elements. I am offering them to any takers for shipping cost if you have an element to fit in them. I may see if elements are still available from Shure or aftermarket.